Cooking Accident In La Grange Park Causes Fire

LA GRANGE PARK, IL – A cooking accident caused a fire Saturday morning in a three-story apartment building at 1631 Forest Road in La Grange Park, the fire department said.

About 9 a.m., La Grange Park firefighters found the apartment's three occupants on a balcony, with a woman suffering from a burn injury, according to the department's news release.

The fire had been mostly put out, with firefighters completing the job with a fire extinguisher, the department said.

The burn victim was treated at Loyola University Medical Center, firefighters said. Two youths in the apartment were evaluated by paramedics, but did not go to the hospital.

Firefighters learned the woman was heating a household cleaner in a pot on the stove when it overheated and ignited.

She removed the pot from the stove and in so doing, she bumped the wall, splashing the burning product on the floor and wall, the fire department said. She then got burned and dropped the pot onto a futon, which then caught fire. It also burned the nearby carpeting.

Damage was estimated at $1,000.

The fire department said it was another reminder to practice fire safety when using a stove: Stay nearby to watch for overheating. Learn how to use the lid or cooking sheet to cover a fire and put it out. Don't try to pick it up and move it. And don't use water. Finally, keep a fire extinguisher or baking soda nearby.

The department said the incident was also a reminder of the importance of automatic fire alarms.

The heat detector in the apartment, tied to the building's fire alarm and directly connected to emergency dispatchers, summoned firefighters before residents were able to call 911, saving valuable time, the department said.